Salento beyond the beach
Gallipoli is an excellent base for exploring the rest of Salento: distances are short and the finest places on the peninsula are about an hour's drive away. Here are three day trips, perfect for a windy day or a break from the beach.
Lecce, capital of the baroque
Lecce stone, pale and easy to carve, has turned the old town into an open-air museum. Don't miss Piazza del Duomo, the basilica of Santa Croce with its lavish façade and the Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Sant'Oronzo.
For a break, try an iced coffee with almond milk.
Otranto and the Punta Palascìa lighthouse
Overlooking the Adriatic, Otranto has an old town enclosed by walls and the Aragonese castle. Inside the cathedral is a vast 12th-century floor mosaic featuring the tree of life.
A little further south stands the Punta Palascìa lighthouse, the easternmost point of Italy: at dawn it is a sight to behold.
Santa Maria di Leuca, where Italy ends
At the tip of the peninsula, the sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae overlooks the spot where, by tradition, the Ionian meets the Adriatic. Boat trips to the sea caves along the coast leave from the harbour.
On the way back, take the coastal road along the Ionian: it is one of the most scenic drives in Salento.
A convenient base for exploring Salento
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